In today’s dollars, the United States government spent $7.5 billion to build the Alaska Railroad – and the railroad would only benefit 3,663 Alaskans.
So, why was the railroad built?
Answer: Because the Pacific Ocean was, in Theodore Roosevelt’s words, becoming “an American lake.” To patrol that lake, the United States Navy need coal to power its ships. The Navy had a choice: ship coal from Pennsylvania all the way across the United States by rail or get it out of the ground in the Territory of Alaska.
Overnight, the coal deposits in Alaska became Navy property and the federal government poured $7.5 billion in today’s dollars to get coal 243 miles inland to Alaskan ports.
A RAT’S NEST OF RAILS
(An in-the-weeds look at the construction of the Alaska Railroad.)
www.authormasterminds.com/steve-levi
Why not take a ‘listen’ to the dark side of Alaska?
For free!!